Devices have been developed that stimulate the bottom of a person's foot. The stimulation by such devices is intended to provide therapeutic effects, such as for bone growth, treating orthostatic hypotension, postural instability, enhanced blood and lymph flow, or deep vein thrombosis. Such devices utilize a vibrating or oscillating platform or plate that is stood upon or otherwise applied along the entire length of the bottom of the foot, and are described for example, in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,273,028, 5,376,065, 6,607,497, 6,843,776, 6,884,227, 7,402,144, 7,207,954, 7,207,955, and 8,603,017, and U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2007/0055185, 2007/0213179, 2007/0043310, 2008/0015476, and 2008/0139979. Devices for vibrating or oscillating each foot have also been designed into exercise equipment, such as a step climbing machine or stationary bicycle, as described in U.S. Pat. Nos. 7,166,067, 7,322,948, and 7,338,457, or in footwear, as described in U.S. Pat. No. 8,795,210.
A vibration platform, the Juvent 1000N Micro-Impact Platform, is a product of Regenerative Technologies Corporation of Riviera Beach, Fla., USA, having a base with an oscillating actuator for pivoting up and down a lever at a first frequency which is linked by a dampening spring to pivot two primary levers at a second frequency, and such primary levers have linkages for pivoting two secondary levers. The ends of each of the primary and secondary levers pivot an upper plate that free-floats upon the base. A controller operates the oscillating actuator to provide the desired vibration to the upper plate when stood upon by a person. The design of the 1000N Micro-Impact Platform is believed to be described in one or more of U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,843,776, 6,884,227, 7,094,211, 7,207,954 and 7,207,955, and U.S. Patent Publication Nos. 2007/0055185, 2007/0213179, and 2007/0043310. Although the 1000N Micro-Impact Platform is useful, it is heavy at 20 lbs., and bulky as it requires complex levers and linkages to impart up and down motion to the upper plate designed to be stood upon with both feet by a person. Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a compact device which stimulates the bottom of the foot which avoids levers and motion transfer linkages.
It has been found that stimulation directed to the Meissner's Corpuscles in the front plantar surface of the foot can more effectively provide therapeutic effects than application of stimulation by applied up and down motion to the entire foot or the whole body as in prior art devices. Thus, a device would further be desirable that can direct stimulation primarily to the Meissner's Corpuscles located in only the front plantar portion of the foot, and thus can be more compact and portable than typical platforms that are stood upon for stimulating the entire bottom of the foot or feet. Although units have been designed for stimulating a portion of the foot, these units are strapped or fastened to the foot (see, e.g., FIG. 8 of U.S. Pat. No. 7,402,144), which is undesirable for ease of use and application to one's foot.